Case 1845C Starting System

I have a 1992 Case 1845C that is getting to be one miserable possessed machine when it comes to starting it. In the last 2 years I have installed a rebuilt starter, then a new starter. I have also installed all new cables and wiring connected to the starting system, along with a new ignition switch, and the largest battery I could get. Sometimes after working on it such as installing a new starting system part, it will start like a champ a couple of times, then revert back to it's old click, click, click habit when you turn the key. Other times it will not make any difference.

I have heard of a place that sells basically new battery cables and a what appears to be an older style Ford solenoid for about $80.00 or $90.00. I really do not want to pay that much for something that a person could buy at an auto parts store for probably $35.00 tops.

I guess this is a known problem for the Case 1800 series skid loaders, and what the problem boils down to is too much resistance in the wiring circuit (which I would think all new cables and wires would cure).

Can anyone tell me what size of cables and wires , and a part number for an older 3 post Ford solenoid that I would need to fix this thing. I would also appreciate step by step instructions on how to add this solenoid to the starting system, and details explaining what wires or cables I would need to splice into (basically what gets connected to what). I have already spent too much money on starters I did not need, and really do not want to spend $90.00 just to find out how to install the modification kit. Any information would be greatly appreciated......................thanks.

Sounds like you may have a ground problem. You have rebuilt the supply side of the system.

Suggestion: Make sure the engine is grounded properly to the frame ground (same ground as battery negative). Easy to do. Connect a set of battery jumper cables from the engine (or starter housing) to the ground terminal coming off the battery.

Also is the starter properly grounded? Ground connections are just as important as positive side connections.

I have an 1845C and it hasn't missed a beat as long as I can remember.

Click Click Click means that either you don't have enough capacity (high resistence) at the starter or the ground side does not have a good path back to battery (high resistence). Both very important. Starter relays also burn internally over time which can create high resistance inside the relay therefore not allowing enough current through relay to spin a high current motor ( like the starter-250 to 300 amp approx).

If you do decide to install a starter relay solenoid, it's very simple. Mount the relay as close to starter as you can. Connect a 12 ga wire to the battery post of the starter, connect other end of wire to one of the large terminals of the solenoid. Connect another 12 ga wire to opposite large terminal of solenoid and connect that wire to the starter switch terminal on the starter. Take your starter switch wire and connect it to the small terminal of the solenoid. That should fix you up.

Thank you for the information. I did replace all of the old wire and cables, and pretty much ended up with the old click, click problem, After reading your comment about a possible bad ground, I removed all of the ground wires and made sure I had a good clean contact area, put a very thin film of dielectric grease on them, and fastened them back up...........same problem. I then thought that maybe a person can never have too much ground, and installed an extra ground cable (#4 AWG) to one of the bolts that fastens the starter to the engine block, and used a couple of star washers to make sure it had a good bite.........same old problem.

The starter works as it should when I had a starter and alternator guy bench test it. He say's more than likely I am having an issue with the key switch (which is new) not allowing enough voltage to the solenoid. I told him it is a new switch, and the old one did the same thing. I then told him about the modification information ATCOEQUIP sent me. He said in theory it sounds like it should work by taking a load off of something (can't remember what he called it), and making it more direct. He did say however that he wonders if the information I was given did not contain an error because 12 gauge wire seems to be way to small to be carrying the load that the starter will draw. I told him I am not an electrician, so I do not have a clue. He said #6 is the smallest he would wire it with, and better yet #4.

Well, I am going to try it exactly the way ATCOEQUIP told me to do it and see how it goes..............thanks again.

Just one more thought on the ground side of the system. You say everything is grounded properly from the starter to the block. How about block to frame? Remember that the battery is grounded to frame.

Take a battery jumper cable from engine to frame and see if this makes a difference. I hate to see people chase and throw parts at a problem when a simple bad ground is the issue.

Also 12 gauge wire on relays from key switches is big enough to operate. The 12 gauge is simply a signal wire form keyswitch.

Battery cables and starter cables should be heavy like welding cables and #4 and lower are sufficient for your system. A relay simply connects the heavy cables from the battery to the high amperage motor. A relay is operated by light gauge wire from keyswitch (12 ga for example)

Hi Scavenger,
Just to clarify, the relay I said you could install is not to power starter motor, it's to activate soleniod on starter. The starter solenoid is what sends power to the starter motor. I'm referring to that small wire that goes to the starter solenoid from the ignition switch. When you activate "start" at the ignition switch, it sends current on that wire to activate starter solenoid. If you have any little problem in your wiring harness, you could experience a voltage drop by the time the current gets from ignition switch to starter solenoid, not have enough voltage to activate solenoid, click click. Using a relay near starter will rememdy this problem, as relays don't require the amps to activate them that the starter solenoid does. The 12 ga wire is the current that will go through relay when you activate it with the start wire, plenty heavy enough gauge wire to activate starter solenoid.

I have a neutral switch out of adjustment on my skid, and sometimes the key will just make the click, click you are referring to, but a slight pull on my right drive lever will get it to turn over every time. Just a thought. Wouldn't think that you would even get a click with a safety switch not working, but it does. Might be worth a try moving each drive lever a little in each direction with the key in the start position.

Have you got to the bottom of this problem?have you installed the second soleniod and does it work? My machine has decided to have this problem and its got worse since I put on a new battery!!
Is this a well known fault with this machine?

There have been a lot of things happening lately, so I have not had a chance to try using the solenoid as a relay. I did have one mechanic at a local construction company tell me that they exclusively use the older model 1800 series Case skid loaders because their operators prefer them over the newer models. He said that whenever the skid steers have a problem starting, himself or another mechanic will go through the complete starting circuit / system removing and cleaning / replacing cables, and almost always install a new solenoid plunger and contact kit. He says this normally takes care of any starter problems. He also stated that during the winter months they will set up a couple of there 1845C loaders with snow plows. He says the ones they use in the winter will have less starting issues than the ones that sit over the winter. When I find time to do the modification I will be sure to let you know. You might want to send me a private email with your email address so I can keep the message as unread. This will remind me to let you know what I find out.

I have not installed a solenoid kit yet, but I do have a diagram that shows the parts and locations. I think it is a pretty simple repair requiring basically general hand tools. It looks like the best way to do this would be to remove the starter from the engine. First you are going to have to decide if you want to try it without raising the loader arms and locking them using the supplied support arm, then slide the ROPS forward. This will give you better access to the starter. Then disconnect the battery cables from the battery. Next I would disconnect and label the wires and cables from the starter, then unbolt and remove the starter. The solenoid repair kit contains a new solenoid plunger, new contacts, and I think gaskets. You need to remove 3 screws to remove the solenoid cover, then you have access to everything you need to remove and replace. The mechanic stated that normally the solenoid plunger does not really need to be replaced, but they do it anyways as long as they already have access to it. Other then removing and cleaning all the battery cables / connections and making sure the other wire connections are clean and snugged up, this should take care of starter problems. We are on maximum overtime at work, so I am finding it hard to get anything done around my shop at home. When I do get to it I will try to remember to take some pictures and send them to you. Because I am fairly new to this forum, I do not know if they allow a person to attach pictures, so it would be best if you send me your private email address, and I will send the pictures and any new information I discover right to you. I see where you stated that your problem became worse after you installed a new battery. Was the new battery fully charged, and did you make sure all the connections were clean and tight?

never thought of checking the charge(will put it on the charger today) but I took off all the connections and wire brushed and filed to bare metal after reading some of the earlier posts,that seems to be the most annoying part!!!

Hi Scavenger, it just so happened I worked on a similar problem machine today, a Yanmar B27 mini excavator. Sometimes the starter would work, other time, the eternal click click click. I've already had the starter gone through by the starter shop, so I know the starter isn't the problem. A customer purchased the machine, I went to bring it in the shop to service it and "click". Grrr . Popped the access panel off from behind the seat, connected my remote starter button to the starter and it worked perfect. More than likely a voltage drop on the starting wire circuit from the keyswitch, probably the same problem you are having. Now, I could spend a couple of hours trying to determine what gremlin is causing the voltage drop while egaging start on the keyswitch. Or, I could easily remedy the problem by installing a typical starter relay solenoid near the starter. The relay requires much less amperage to engage than does the solenoid on the starter. You could easily activate one of these solenoid relays with as small as 18 ga wire. I simply connected 12 ga wire to battery terminal on the starter and connected that wire to one of the large terimnals on the relay. Another 12 ga wire goes from the opposite large terminal on the relay to the solenoid activating terminal on the starter. The original starter wire connects to the small activating terminal on the relay. Simple, easy, quick to do, and works like a charm.